Leadership and Ministry Blog 3 Reasons I Promote Reserve Military Chaplaincy Stephen Bedard, August 11, 2023August 11, 2023 There are people who are full-time military chaplains in the regular forces and I’m so thankful for my colleagues in that role. But I must admit that I have a soft spot for the reserves, for those who have full-time jobs in the church or elsewhere and who support a… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 5 Things Pastors Need to Know About Post-Pandemic Ministry Stephen Bedard, August 26, 2021August 26, 2021 As we come out of this pandemic, many church leaders and pastors are looking forward to “getting back to normal.” Sadly, that will never happen. We will not just transition back to a pre-pandemic world. Even those congregations that tried to ignore the pandemic have been affected. Here are five… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Should Pastors Get a Doctorate? Stephen Bedard, March 10, 2021March 22, 2021 In some ways I hate the way I phrased that title because it is not a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question. I cannot say that all pastors should get a doctorate or that no pastors should get a doctorate. Perhaps a better way to phrase it would be: “Is there any… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Should People With Mental Illness Be In Church Leadership? Stephen Bedard, September 18, 2019 Dale Partridge has recently given his opinion about people with mental illness in leadership in the wake of the suicide of Jarrid Wilson. It is not accepting or tolerant or understanding or compassionate to hire a man to shepherd a flock of God’s people who is openly struggling with mental… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog How Could a Pastor Commit Suicide? Stephen Bedard, September 11, 2019 We are hearing more and more about pastors committing suicide. How can that be? Aren’t pastors supposed to be extra-spiritual? Shouldn’t they be the last to consider suicide? It is heart-breaking to hear these stories. We don’t want to hear about pastors taking their lives. It may even make us… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog How Can Pastors Get Involved In the Community? Stephen Bedard, June 27, 2019 I love my church and spending time with the people in my congregation. They are great people and there is plenty of time I can spend with them. However, I also have a conviction that it is important to spend time with people outside the congregation. I see that as… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Important Tools for Pastors Stephen Bedard, August 7, 2018April 24, 2019 When it comes to pastoring, some of the most popular resources are in the area of leadership and other practical ministry tools. But I would suggest that pastors, especially those just beginning their ministry, work toward building their commentary library. Preaching and leading Bible studies are key activities for pastors…. Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Should Pastors Work With Pastors of Other Denominations? Stephen Bedard, July 12, 2018November 17, 2020 Some pastors feel more comfortable working with pastors of their own tradition/denomination. There is nothing wrong with this as these relationships are very important. I’m thankful for my colleagues within my denomination. At the same time, some of my most rewarding experiences have been collaborations with pastors of other denominations…. Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 5 Questions Pastors Need to Ask Stephen Bedard, July 3, 2018April 30, 2019 Pastors want to have the answers. But even more important is to have the right questions. These are not the only questions to ask, but they are a good place to start. What are you doing to raise up other leaders in the congregation? What is more important, your own… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Pastors Poking Fun at Themselves Stephen Bedard, May 28, 2018April 20, 2020 I believe in including humour, both in the services and the sermons. If I’m going to poke fun at anyone, it would be at myself. Making fun of another person, whether a family member or someone in the congregation is not appropriate. But there is a limit at how far… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Pastors and Counselling Stephen Bedard, May 22, 2018January 14, 2023 I have heard a number of pastors talk about how much time they spend doing counselling and it is significant. Do you want to know how much counselling I do? None. The reason for this is that I am not a trained or certified counsellor. It would like me giving… Continue Reading
Blogging and Writing How Pastors Can Use YouTube Stephen Bedard, April 12, 2018April 17, 2020 One of the most useful online tools for pastors is YouTube. Anyone can make a video, upload it and make it available to millions of viewers. With YouTube owned by Google, it is very easy for people to find your content. But how can pastors use YouTube? They can be… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 31 Days to Become a Better Pastor: Pray For Your Colleagues Stephen Bedard, March 29, 2018May 7, 2022 No one understands what it is like to be a pastor like another pastor. We know both the joys and pains of pastoral ministry. Who better to pray for other pastors than pastors? We may be in a great chapter of our ministry or a challenging one, but we can… Continue Reading
Blogging and Writing Pastors and Social Media Stephen Bedard, March 5, 2018July 10, 2020 Should pastors be on social media. I know of pastors who take it as an item of pride that they have avoided the pressure to be one social media. While that is fine, I also think it is a missed opportunity. So many people are on social media and we… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog When Pastors Doubt Stephen Bedard, January 25, 2018January 25, 2021 I remember as a teenager listening to our minister say during the service that he had one time doubts about Christianity. It really shocked me. Pastors should be giants in the faith, never having a doubt about the smallest thing. The truth is that as long as pastors continue to… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 7 Things Pastors Need to Be Reminded Of Stephen Bedard, January 19, 2018May 24, 2021 Being a pastor of a church is a rewarding career. Most pastors are quite passionate about their ministry. But pastors need more than excitement to be successful long-term. Here are seven things that pastors need to remember. Pastors need to equip the congregation for ministry rather than doing all the… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Pastors, Politicians, Actors and Sex Scandals Stephen Bedard, November 22, 2017March 21, 2020 We are living in a moment when many people are coming forward accusing famous individuals of sexual abuse and unwanted sexual advances. My intention is not to name names, to accuse or defend, or to judge on the quality of the evidence. I will say that it is always wrong… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 5 Things You Need to Know About Pastors Stephen Bedard, March 28, 2017April 14, 2019 Although things have changed, there are still people who place pastors on pedestals. There is nothing wrong with respecting pastors. Pastors study a lot and work hard to help in the spiritual development of their congregations. But sometimes people forget that pastors are just regular folk. Unrealistic expectations can lead… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 7 Questions Pastors Need to Regularly Ask Stephen Bedard, March 9, 2017April 30, 2019 I love being a pastor and I’m so thankful that the opportunity to return to pastoral ministry came after a three year break. I appreciate the work of my colleagues in ministry and I am very aware how easy it is to go off track. Here are seven questions that… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Pastors: Shepherds or Entrepreneurs? Stephen Bedard, March 4, 2017April 18, 2019 As a pastor, I’m very interested in discussing the role of my calling. If I don’t understand the role of the pastor, there is no way to know if I’m successful or not. I recently came across a blog post by Carey Nieuhof on this topic. First, I need to… Continue Reading
Apologetics and Theology Blog 5 Apologetics Topics Pastors Can Preach On Stephen Bedard, November 16, 2016May 11, 2020 I am both an apologist and a pastor. I do not see those as two different vocations, but rather two aspects of the same calling. I believe that it is important for pastors to integrate some apologetics into their pastoral ministry. This does not mean that every Sunday should be… Continue Reading
Disability and Faith Blog Pastors, Church Culture and Disabilities Stephen Bedard, August 2, 2016May 9, 2020 What is the culture of your church when it comes to disabilities? Does your church eagerly embrace those with disabilities? Or is your church embarrassed by the sights and sounds and frustrated by the interruptions? There are many aspects to church culture but I would suggest that the pastor plays… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 3 Things Pastors Can Learn From Donald Trump Stephen Bedard, July 30, 2016May 25, 2020 During this election season, I must confess that I’m thankful that I’m a Canadian. My thoughts and prayers are with my American brothers and sisters. In some ways I’m surprised that Donald Trump has made it to this point that there is a good possibility that he might be the… Continue Reading
Apologetics and Theology Blog 5 Reasons Why Pastors Should Care About Apologetics Stephen Bedard, July 26, 2016July 20, 2020 As both a pastor and an apologist, I believe that there should be connections between both roles. I actually became an apologist because of a need that arose while being a pastor at a local church. I also understand that there are many pastors who are not interested in apologetics…. Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 4 Questions Pastors Need to Ask Stephen Bedard, July 19, 2016April 30, 2019 The unfortunate reality is that not all pastors finish well. We hear about the pastors of megachurches who have moral failures but it happens in small churches all the time. The key is not to wait until the pastor is in burnout or is dealing with the consequences of bad… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Who Moved My Pulpit? Stephen Bedard, July 2, 2016June 18, 2020 One of my favourite podcasts is Rainer on Leadership and Thom Rainer’s blog posts that I share seem to get a lot of engagement. So I was looking forward to finally reading one of his books. The book I chose is his latest, Who Moved My Pulpit? I love that this book… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog A Plea for More Theological Pastors Stephen Bedard, June 9, 2016December 30, 2020 What would be the reaction if you mentioned at a church function that you wanted to discuss theology? How many people would roll their eyes? I have often lamented the lack of interest in theology among Christians. Recent reflections on this have made me think of the role of pastors…. Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 4 Things That Pastors Need to Remember About Their Congregation Stephen Bedard, May 18, 2016December 5, 2020 One of the biggest challenges for pastors is preparing one sermon for a congregation that is extremely diverse in their knowledge and experience. It is impossible to design a message that will touch everyone where they are at. But it is important to have sense of where people are at,… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Growing God’s Church – Review Stephen Bedard, March 15, 2016June 11, 2020 All Christians should be interested in seeing the Church grow and people come to faith in Jesus. A helpful resource in this conversation is Growing God’s Church: How People Are Actually Coming to Faith Today by Gary L. McIntosh. The book is divided into three parts: Church Today, Faith Today and… Continue Reading
Apologetics and Theology Blog How Can Pastors Equip Churches to Defend the Faith? Stephen Bedard, March 15, 2016May 25, 2020 J. Warner Wallace provides some practical advice to pastors on how to help their churches to defend the Christian faith in this interview on the One-Minute Apologist. Continue Reading
Disability and Faith Blog 5 Things Pastors Need to Know About Autism Stephen Bedard, March 9, 2016June 24, 2019 I have been contacted by a number of pastors lately about autism. I’m impressed with pastors who are proactive in seeking information. The truth is that it is important know something about autism before a family with autism shows up at the church. As a pastor and as a father… Continue Reading
Apologetics and Theology Blog Why Apologetics is Essential to Being a Pastor Stephen Bedard, February 19, 2016February 19, 2022 I sometimes encounter resistance by pastors about the value of apologetics. I have also heard from laypeople who have had negative experiences talking to their pastors about apologetics. I would like to argue that not only is apologetics compatible with pastoral ministry, it is essential to pastoral ministry. That may… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Should Pastors Have Friends Within Their Church? Stephen Bedard, February 12, 2016January 22, 2020 One of the questions that a new pastor has to wrestle with is the nature of relationships they will have within their congregation. Can you be friends with people in the congregation? With leaders/elders/deacons/board members? With other pastoral staff? During one ministry placement when I was in seminary, I had… Continue Reading
Apologetics and Theology Blog 5 Reasons Pastors Should Consider Apologetics Stephen Bedard, November 6, 2015July 22, 2020 One of the frustrations that apologists often express is the difficulty of getting the church to buy into the importance of apologetics. Unfortunately, this sometimes is influenced by the pastor’s negative view of apologetics. As a pastor, I understand that pastors cannot drop all that they are doing and throw… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog What Does a Pastor Actually Do? Stephen Bedard, May 11, 2015May 4, 2019 Pastors have it easy, they only work one day a week. Except the reality is that many pastors work seven days a week, even if they are not in the office. In this episode, I share some of what the average week of a pastor may look like. I understand… Continue Reading
Apologetics and Theology Blog Devotions: 3 John Stephen Bedard, May 10, 2015January 25, 2020 A devotion based on 3 John 1:3. John was not just a theologian, he was a pastor. As much as he liked to talk about God, he also was very interested in what was happening with people. This letter was written to a church. Churches were not like today, large… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Preaching and Teaching Stephen Bedard, May 3, 2015July 14, 2019 How should pastors respond to the low level of biblical illiteracy in churches? Should we aim for the lowest common denominator or should we attempt raise the bar? Is there a role for teaching? In this episode of my video blog, I reflect on one pastors vision for his church…. Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 5 Myths About Pastors Stephen Bedard, February 3, 2015July 4, 2020 I have respect for pastors, both as an ex-pastor and as someone who has been ministered to by some excellent pastors. Having said that, even when people respect pastors they may not understand pastors. I thought I would take some time to dispel some common myths about pastors. 1. Pastors… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 7 Reasons Why Pastors Should Consider Military Chaplaincy Stephen Bedard, October 17, 2014November 1, 2021 One of the most rewarding parts of my life has been my role as a military chaplain (padre). I hear from pastors who are considering joining the army but are not sure if they should. I would like to share why I think it is a good idea. For clarification, I… Continue Reading
Disability and Faith Blog Churches, Pastors and the Disabled Stephen Bedard, June 26, 2014July 30, 2019 When it comes to welcoming those with disabilities into a church, I come at it with two hats. One hat is as a father of two children with autism. The other hat is as one who pastored for over a decade. The father part says that the church must endure… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 9 Things Pastors Would Like to Tell Their Congregation Stephen Bedard, May 24, 2014July 2, 2019 I want to tell you a secret. Are you listening? Pastors are human. Thom Rainer shares some things that pastors would like to say. While not all pastors would agree to all nine, as a former pastor they ring true to me. Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 10 Pastors to Be Concerned About Stephen Bedard, April 24, 2014August 5, 2019 This is not a list of names but rather ten types of pastors that we should be concerned about. You may be able to place names into each type. I appreciate this post by Scott Postma. Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog People-Pleasing Pastors Stephen Bedard, April 12, 2014January 1, 2020 One of the most dangerous traps for pastors is that of people-pleasing. The problem is that it is so easy to fall into. It is natural for us to be popular and to avoid conflict. Especially within the church, pastors do not want to be at odds with their congregations…. Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog That Dreaded Question Stephen Bedard, April 10, 2014August 12, 2019 There is one question that pastors hate more than any other when getting together at conferences or other functions. Yes, it is worse than, “So how much do you make?” The worst question is, “How many people go to your church?” I have been asked that numerous times. I was… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog The Friendless Pastor Stephen Bedard, March 27, 2014November 27, 2019 Christian leaders often talk about the lonely pastor. This is more than a cliche, it is the truth. Friendships within the church are complicated and yet pastors spend most of their time with people in their congregation. There is a great article by Mark Brouwer in the Leader Journal that… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Dallas Willard to Pastors and Leaders Stephen Bedard, March 15, 2014August 5, 2019 Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 5 Frustrations of Pastoral Ministry (or Why Would Anyone Choose Pastoral Ministry?) Stephen Bedard, March 12, 2014April 11, 2019 A guest post by Deane Proctor. This column risks coming off as some sort of pastoral pity-party but it’s really not meant to be. I’m very pleased and honored to have been called to serve as Lead Pastor of Queensway Baptist Church in Brantford, Ontario nearly 5 years ago and… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog 7 Things an Associate Pastor Needs to Remember Stephen Bedard, February 27, 2014July 30, 2019 In my ministry career, I was a youth pastor for five years and an associate pastor for two years. I then spent nine years as a solo pastor. There are a lot of challenges to being an associate pastor, but it also can be very rewarding. I know a number… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Stronger Together Stephen Bedard, February 21, 2014August 23, 2019 I came across this verse in my devotions. “Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.” (Proverbs 18:1 ESV) I immediately thought about ministry. The worst place to be in ministry is isolation. Some pastors choose isolation because they are afraid of other voices… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog What Kind of Pastor Am I? Stephen Bedard, February 13, 2014September 2, 2019 As someone who has pastored for over a decade, I understand how easy it is lose your way. I don’t mean falling into sin, but forgetting why you do what you do. With all the meetings and potlucks, you can forget the reason for pastoring. Lee Eclov has a good… Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog What Kind of Pastors Do We Need? Stephen Bedard, February 8, 2014August 23, 2019 We need good pastors in our churches. But what does a good pastor look like? A cardigan and a tie do not a good pastor make. John Knight looks at this question and comes up with three things that are needed for a good pastor. Check out his post. Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Seven Warning Signs of Affairs for Pastors Stephen Bedard, February 6, 2014July 9, 2020 One of the saddest things to hear are stories of pastors or other church staff who end up destroying their families and ministries with affairs. What is really sad is that this is preventable. Thom Rainer offers seven warning signs that the leader is moving toward a dangerous place. Continue Reading
Leadership and Ministry Blog Ministry Reflection One Stephen Bedard, January 21, 2011September 19, 2019 This spring will be the tenth anniversary of my ordination. Over the next couple of months, I am going to share ten reflections from my ministry experience. The first thing I want to share is the sadness I feel when I meet people burned in ministry. I must be honest,… Continue Reading